a bleeding purple utah jazz blog

Game 61 @ PHX: Wait for the “but”…

How do I get excited about a win that we didn’t deserve? Tonight was just yet another game it only took three or four possessions for the Jazz to fall behind by double digits and play from behind the entire game. The slow starts and the way the Jazz don’t come to play until the 2nd quarter or even the 2nd half is killing me my passion for the team.

This team has the talent to beat anyone, and I believe that they do have heart. Do they have the heart of a champion? Do they have enough heart? Games like these and the losses to bad teams point to “no.” Until they stop performing like this, any talk about getting to the second round, much less contending, is a joke.

Welcome back Jazz team that made me hate you AND myself for most of 2009.

Notes:
–Despite all the Debbie Downerism and watching the game through jade(d)-colored glasses, I involuntarily pumped my fist when Memo hit that 3 with 59 seconds left. My mind was still disgruntled about the slow start, but my heart knew I’d just seen a dagger.

–A’m’a’r””””e showed Boozer that he’s the one that’s going to get the raise this summer, regardless.

–Apart from posing for posters, Boozer was invisible in the first three quarters. In the fourth, he did some damage but continued to get dunked on like nobody’s business.

–Are the Jazz still giving out defensive grades? [mini-story time: Back in the day before [I signed up for an account at] WordPress, I had a personal blog at Xanga (anyone still remember that name?) The reason I ever started writing about the Jazz in the first place was because I didn’t know any other Jazz fans in real life, and I frequently needed to vent about Boozer’s putrid matador defense. His effort on D has improved this season so I’m not on his back as much this year as I have been in the past.] All the effort we’ve seen earlier this season is gone. Old habits die hard; his putrid defense is back, and I once again feel angry all the time when he’s on the floor.

–Robin Lopez, pushing someone in the back while he’s in the air makes you suck.

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I’ve been enjoying your blog the last few weeks, and since I finally got a chance to watch the game last night, just wanted to say that I fully agree with your analysis. I was totally frustrated for most of the game, and was ready to call it quits, but figured I was already up that late, so I’d give them a chance. Glad I stuck it out, but am still worried about the Jazz trailing most of the game lately.

Well said, and i couldn’t really believe that we got the win after the first 3 quarters. They weren’t doing much on defense to stop the Suns. Give them credit tho, they did stay in it and keep it close then took it to them in the 4th.

i do give the jazz credit for sticking it out and continuing to play, but we can’t come out sluggish and unprepared and play from behind night after night. we got the win this time, but the first 3 quarters of the game and even part of the 4th were identical to the horrible clippers loss.

it was an exciting game no doubt, but i’d much rather see a blowout win (because i think that would tell you more about where the jazz are as a team) than what we’ve seen the last 5 games. just my opinion.

I was mostly trying to find something positive to hold on to after watching 3+ quarters of not so great basketball. You’re right, the Jazz do deserve credit for sticking around and it was a win the Jazz needed and they got it.

The problem is, this type of play and effort by the Jazz will most definitely not get them to the Finals, which is for sure the “success” i’d most like to see the Jazz have.

I don’t know if it was the Jazz that were all outta sorts last night at the start, or if the Suns were really trying to put it to them early.

But the result was one sad and sick looking jazz squad beaten up by some of the worst officiating I’ve seen all year, and there are many examples of bad calls, but these three acted like it was the first ever game!

Playing against five is one thing, when they add three more????? well it takes some of the wind and confidence out of you as a player.

Call that a contributing factor to the overall apparent lackluster performance by the Jazz.

I admit, I did alot of channel changing last night, could not bear to watch such an apparent FAIL effort. Makes me sick when I see team wide failure at tasks they are so much better at night in and night out. So I missed a bunch I’m sure.

But by the end of the game, the Jazz fought very hard, made plays and seemingly the reffs figured out it was a basketball game and not a tennis match. Made better and more accurate calls, and the Jazz came out on top!

The boyz could have given up, they did not! That is a massive statement they made and as a fan it’s appreciated.

I’ll take the big W and fly home with a smile plastered on my face all night long.

there were plenty of bad calls to be sure, but the way the jazz came out to play–i.e. not ready to play and letting the other team rack up a huge lead in just minutes–they’ve been doing that for 1-2 weeks now (with the game against houston being the exception). i can’t blame the refs for that. the boys are developing some bad habits.